Is It That Time of the Year Again?
by HarmonFreak1
Summary: Tim's childhood was filled with unhappy birthday memories. Will Gibbs be able to pull off an unforgettable celebration that his lover will never forget? Written for Gottahavemyncis' birthday!


Jethro looked at his watch and grimaced as he raced around the kitchen finalizing the dinner he was preparing. It was Tim's birthday and during the few years they'd dated, whenever the month of November rolled around, his lover would sigh and say 'Is it that time of the year again?" Tim refused to let Jethro make a big deal out of his birthday and it wasn't until a few weeks ago that he found out why. The younger man had stated that growing up his parents would always have big parties for Sarah but when it came time for his birthday he'd be lucky if he received any presents. He went on to say that he'd forgiven his parents and felt a celebration would only bring up all the bad memories he'd worked hard to forget. Jethro had originally promised Tim he wouldn't go overboard for his birthday, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized it was a promise he couldn't keep. He could only hope that Tim wouldn't be upset and they could use it as an opportunity to create new memories together.

Jethro had left work early saying he had an appointment and a reassurance from Tony that he would drop Tim off after work. The smirk on Tim's face when he left made him realize he was perhaps not as stealthy as he used to be. It didn't matter though; all that mattered was he got to spend the night pampering the man he loved. His phone chimed with a text from Tony saying they were leaving work and estimated to be at the house within the next thirty minutes. Quickly seasoning the steaks he pushed the plate further back on the counter and glanced down at doggy Jet. The dog cocked his head to one side and licked his lips. Jethro chuckled and stepped over to the sink to wash his hands, "I'm going to change clothes; when I come back down those steaks better be exactly where I left them.

The dog barked his annoyance and made his way over to the corner of the kitchen,plopping down with a huff. "Don't worry, buddy I didn't forget about you. We're all celebrating Tim's birthday, I even got a special piece of steak just for you." Jethro's ears perked up and he lifted his head from where it had been resting on his paws. Gibbs laughed and quickly headed upstairs to freshen up and change into more formal attire. He stripped down to his boxers and for a moment thought about going commando, but nixed the idea when he remembered he'd rented the tux. If the night went as planned he certainly didn't want to return the pants with stains. Tim had mentioned how he always wanted to see Jethro in a tux and the older man put the idea in the back of his mind for a special occasion.

He'd decided there was no better special occasion than Tim's birthday and couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he walked through the door. It had been hard for him to sneak away for a fitting, but eventually he was able to do so and decided on a traditional black tux with a black bow tie. He'd even had a cream colored bow tie made for Jet. It had been a while since he'd worn a tux but the tailor had given him a brief lesson before he'd left the store and he was dressed within a matter of minutes. Glancing at his watch again he sent a quick text to Tony asking him how much time he had then ducked into the bathroom to freshen up. When his phone chimed with a text that said fifteen minutes he quickly finished up and took a glimpse in the full-length mirror. After straightening his tie and collar he slid into the jacket, grabbed the tie for the dog and headed back downstairs. Jethro barked his approval when he walked into the kitchen and the older man called the canine over to him.

"Sit…stay…" Jethro demanded as he knelt down and slipped the tie around the dog's neck. "Good boy!" He praised, rubbing the dog's ears before securing the tie in the right position. Taking a step back he whistled his approval, "You look handsome, Jet. I think your daddy is going to be impressed at how dapper we look tonight."

Realizing he only had a few minutes before Tim arrived home he dimmed the lights and proceeded to light all the candles in the family and dining room. Once that was finished he returned to the kitchen to check on the lobster tails and potatoes in the oven. The food looked and smelled delicious and he was proud of himself for cooking on his own. It was a running joke between the two of them that Tim loved to cook and Jethro loved to eat. He figured his lover would expect take out from one of his favorite restaurants and he was glad he'd be able to surprise him. Once the dining room table was set, a vase of Tim's favorite flowers, composed of Dahlias, Tulips, Daffodils and Daisies was used as a center piece. As Jethro put the finishing touches on the table he saw headlights beam through the window and heard a car pull into the driveway. He whistled for Jet to come from the kitchen and the dog raced around the corner, taking a seat by Jethro's feet. The older man knelt down and fixed the dog's tie and quickly shot up when he heard Tim's key engage the lock. Straightening his jacket he took a deep breath and waited anxiously for Tim to open the door.

Tim stuck his key in the door and waved goodbye to Tony as he backed out of the driveway. Turning his full attention back to the door he took a deep breath and grasped the handle. He knew Jethro had something up his sleeve and even though they were lovers it was still hard sometimes to know exactly what he was thinking or planning. All he could do was hope that Jethro hadn't gone overboard and respected his wishes to have a quiet evening at home. Tightening his grip on the handle he pushed the door open, stepped inside and dropped his bag by the door. The house had an incredibly warm and romantic feel to it; the lights were dimmed, a fire was roaring and candles were sporadically placed throughout the downstairs. Jazz music was playing softly through the speakers Tim had hooked up a few days earlier and the smell of whatever was cooking made his mouth water. Taking a few more steps he startled when he saw both Jethro and Jet waiting patiently to be spotted.

"Wow! You look smokin', babe!" Tim declared, flashing a thousand watt smile that nearly split his face in two. Continuing to admire the way his lover looked in the tux he grabbed Jethro's hand and spun him around. Growling he said in a husky tone, "Ooh your ass looks even better than I imagined it would. You look like Bond…Jethro Bond…" Jethro quickly spun around, pinned Tim against the wall and leaned in to whisper in his ear. Tim gasped as the combined sensations of Jethro's warm breath in his ear and subtle grinding made his cock spring to life. Jethro groaned when he felt his lover's manhood perk up and he whispered in his ear, "James Bond prefers shaken not stirred, but I'm going to take you every which way tonight birthday boy."

Jethro proceeded to suck, nip and lick his way down Tim's ear to his neck where he peppered it with kisses. Tim tilted his neck back against the wall to give him better access and moaned in delight as every inch of his neck was caressed. Finally Jethro pulled back with a smile and traced his finger around Tim's perfectly constructed lips. "Damn it Jethro, kiss me already!" The younger man roared impatiently and before he had time to take a breath, Jethro's lips were pressed against his, devouring them as if this would be the last time they kissed. Tim groaned as Jethro's tongue demanded access to his mouth. The older man explored the top and bottom rows of his teeth and gently bit down on his full bottom lip as he pulled away gasping for air. Resting their foreheads together they both gave breathy laughs when they heard Jet whimper loudly. Tim glanced down and smiled when he saw the bow tie Jet was wearing. Running his fingers through the canine's fur he cooed, "Aww Jet you look like a million bucks! Your Daddy Jethro did a good job at picking out a tie for you." The cream color stood out perfectly against the dog's brown and black fur.

Tim turned back to his lover and sighed, "I feel underdressed. You two look hot in your tuxes and…" he motioned to his attire and continued, "Here I am in jeans and a shirt."

"Sweetie…"Jethro grabbed his hand, brought it up to his mouth and kissed it, "I'm always attracted to you but you know when I'm attracted to you the most?"

Tim's brow furrowed and he shook his head, "No, but I bet you're going to tell me."

Jethro cupped Tim's cheek in his hand and rubbed his thumb over his cheekbone. "You're right I am going to tell you my darling. I'm attracted to you most when you've just gotten up in the morning." Tim started to protest but Jethro put his finger up to his lips. "When your hair is bedraggled mess and your thoughtful green eyes are bleary that's when I find you most attractive because I know I'm seeing the real you." Jethro chuckled, "That's not to say I'm not checking out your ass every single chance I get. Especially when you wear those jeans with the design on the pockets. It's like they're teasing me because I can't touch your cute little butt there and then."

"I love you, Jethro." Tim murmured and lightly kissed his lips.

"I love you too, Timmy." Jethro growled against his supple lips and groaned when the kitchen timer buzzed.

Sighing, the older man broke the kiss, grabbed his lover's hand and guided him toward the kitchen. "Guess we got a little carried away on the loving. I was supposed to put the steaks on before the lobster and potatoes were done." Tim raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "You cooked lobster and potatoes for me?"

"I've told you before that I would do anything for you Timmy. Just because you're the one who always cooks doesn't mean I don't enjoy doing it every now and again. Especially when it's for my man on his birthday." Jethro opened the oven door and pulled out the rack to check on the food. Tim's mouth was salivating when he caught a glimpse of the baked lobster and his favorite potatoes. "You know sweetie, the potatoes look done but I think the lobster needs a few more minutes. Go put the steaks on and I'll open a bottle of wine."

Jethro reached down and removed the potatoes, setting them on top of the oven before pushing the rack back in and closing the door. Tim found the lid to the casserole dish and placed it on top. "They look and smell delicious, babe. Now go put the steaks on and I'll keep an eye out in here."

Hesitantly Jethro grabbed the steaks from where they sat on the counter. "Are you sure, Timmy? It's your birthday and I didn't plan on you having to lift a finger." Tim gave him an exasperated look and pushed him out toward the family room and fireplace. "Yes, I'm sure sweetie. You've done all the work, I'm only going to open a bottle of wine." Tim watched with a smile as his man dressed in a tux carried a plate of steaks out to the fireplace to cook, cowboy style. Shaking his head he turned back to the counter and was happy to find Jethro had picked up his favorite wine. He thought if every birthday from here on out was this good, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to celebrate. Jethro reappeared and snaked his arm around Tim's waist, "Thank you for allowing me to pamper you on your birthday, my love."

"Thanks for pushing me to tell you why I didn't like celebrating in the first place." Tim poured each of them a glass and turned around, handing one of the glasses to Jethro, he added, "You're the first person I've ever told about my lack of birthday celebrations. It was a relief to get it off my chest and thanks for not going too overboard tonight." He leaned in and gave the older man a peck on the lips, "Everything is absolutely perfect, sweetie."

"You're welcome." Jethro raised his glass to toast, "May all your birthdays from here on out be as special and as amazing as you wish them to be. You're a special person and deserve spectacular celebrations! As long as we're together every birthday will be this special. Here's to another year filled with love, happiness and each other! Happy Birthday, Tim!" They clinked their wine glassed together and each took a sip before Jethro grabbed a clean plate from the cupboard and headed back toward the fireplace. "Steaks should be done soon! Could you please check on the lobster, babe?"

Tim's stomach growled and he chuckled as he pulled the lobster out of the oven and placed it on the stovetop to cool. "You have any butter to go with this, Jethro?" He questioned, opening the refrigerator where he spotted his prize. The butter appeared as if it had been melted once so Tim placed it in the microwave to heat it as Jethro reappeared carrying a plate of thick, juicy steaks. "Who is that smaller piece for? We're not expecting anyone else for dinner are we?" Tim asked curiously and when Jet let out a small bark, the younger man had to keep from rolling his eyes.

Jethro smirked and shrugged his shoulders, "We're a family and when one member of the family is celebrating a birthday we can't leave anyone out."

"You're right." Tim sighed and glanced down at Jet, "This is a special treat, boy. Don't think you're getting filet mignon with every meal now." The dog snorted and watched intently as the two men made up their plates consisting of steak, lobster tail and potatoes. "I made a few side salads that are in the fridge if you're interested." This time it was Tim who snorted and covered his mouth to muffle the laughter threatening to escape.

"What?"

"It's nothing. I was just surprised you used the word salad in a sentence because your diet usually consists of meat and potatoes."

"That may be true my dear, but tonight isn't about me and I knew you would enjoy a salad with your dinner."

"Aww that's sweet, babe. Thanks for making me a salad."

"I told you I would do anything for you, even if that meant I had to touch vegetables." They both laughed at that, collected their plates and headed to the dining room with Jet on their heels. Tim gushed when he saw the vase of his favorite flowers and stopped to give Jethro another kiss. "They're beautiful, babe. Thank you so much!"

Jethro pulled Tim's chair out and waited until the younger man took a seat. Once Tim was situated Jethro took a seat next to him and started cutting up Jet's piece of steak. Tim placed the napkin in his lap and began cutting his own food. After cutting a few pieces,Tim jabbed a piece of steak with his fork and placed it in his mouth.

"Ohhhmyyy Jet h ro steakisssgreeaatt…" Tim mumbled; his mouth full of the juicy filet.

The older man chuckled and finished cutting Jet's piece of steak. "Thanks Timmy. I know I can cook a good steak, it's the lobster and potatoes I'm worried about."

Tim swallowed and took a sip of wine, "Wow! The steak is almost better than sex! I'm sure I'll feel the same way about the lobster and potatoes, babe!"

Jethro raised an eyebrow and Tim laughed at his lover's reaction. Reaching across the table he took hold of Jethro's hand. "Relax…I said it was _almost_ as good."

"That's what I thought." Jethro responded with a huff. Jet whimpered and both men laughed at the dog's impatience. "Here you go, boy. If it's as good as Tim says it is then you're in for a special treat." He placed a plate of steak on the floor and they both watched as Jet took his first bite. The look of happiness in Jet's eyes was enough to make both men chuckle again. "I think it's safe to say he likes it."

"I'd say so." Jethro responded, digging into his own meal. Since he'd gotten positive feedback on the steaks he decided to try the lobster first. Digging it out of the shell he dipped it in the butter and hesitantly popped it in his mouth. Tim watched him chew and waited until he saw him swallow before asking, "So how was it?"

Jethro took a sip of wine and was quiet for a moment. Finally, he allowed a smile to grace his face, "I have to say that it's almost as good as sex." Tim playfully smacked his hand, pierced a piece of lobster and stuck it in his mouth.

"Mmm it melts in your mouth. You did a great job on dinner, sweetie. Everything is perfect, as I expected it to be."

The older man motioned to Jet's empty plate on the floor. "Apparently we're not the only ones who think it's good." Tim snorted and nodded, "That's true, Jet is the toughest critic! If he cleared his plate then we know it's good!"

The two men talked and finished dinner, relishing in each other's company. They'd been busy at work lately and hadn't had a whole lot of one on one time. Jethro stood to clear their plates and patted his full stomach, "You ready for dessert?"

Tim blushed and responded, "You mean besides each other? I thought you were going to have your way with me."

Jethro swallowed hard and felt his cock twitch. "We can have cake later, but I have one more surprise for you before we go upstairs.

"Really?" Tim replied, his mouth dropping open in surprise. "You've already done too much Jethro! The dinner, tux, flowers…I didn't expect anything else. Having a nice quiet evening with you and Jet was more than enough!"

"All that wasn't your real present, babe. Sit tight and I'll be right back." Leaning over he gave Tim a chaste kiss and took their plates into the kitchen. He returned with Jet and positioned the dog to sit on the floor near Tim. The younger man gave him a confused look and laughed, "It's a good thing Jet is neutered otherwise I'd think the surprise is that he's going to be a father." The canine whined and cocked his head at Tim's remark causing both men to laugh. Tim patted Jet's head, "I'm sure your babies would be adorable, buddy, but I don't think you're prepared for fatherhood."

Tim looked up expectantly and saw a twinkle in Jethro's eye, "So where's this gift you're referring to?"

"Oh, don't look at me. Jet is the one who has it."

The younger man glanced back down at the dog and frowned when he didn't see anything noticeable. Jethro could barely hold back his excitement and was anxious for Tim to find his present. "Maybe you should check his bow tie."

Eye's widening, Tim gently rubbed Jet's ears as he removed the tie and brought it up to the table where there was better light. Examining the tie he didn't see anything that stood out until he flipped it inside out. Embroidered on the inside of the tie was "Surprise! We're going to Greece! Love, J!"

Tim sat in shock and read the inscription over and over again. Did it really say they were going to Greece? It was a country he'd always wanted to visit and had been learning the language, preparing for his visit one day. He didn't expect that day to be so soon.

"Arrrreee you serrious? Weee'rree go going to Greece?" Tim stuttered in amazement.

"Yes! We're going to Greece! How excited are you?"

"I'm shocked! I didn't expect this at all!" Tim was still in a state of disbelief and hadn't moved since he read the inscription. Jethro reached over and took Tim's hand in his own. "I've known how badly you've wanted to go and I couldn't stand by and watch you suffer any longer. Everything's is already cleared with Vance and wheels are up in January."

"Oh gosh, I don't know what to say! This is a dream come true, but can we afford it? It's really expensive and we have home improvements we could be spending this money on."

Jethro sighed, leave it to Tim to be the practically one. He rubbed his thumb across the top of Tim's hand. "Babe, the tickets are nonrefundable and we have plenty of money saved up. What's the point of living if all we're going to do is work? Even Federal Agents need a break every once in a while. It allows us to come back and be better at our jobs. I know I can't fix the past, but if you let me, I'd like to make up for it now. Consider this present as a make up for all the ones you missed out on as a kid!"

Tim nodded and attempted to blink back tears. It was useless though and soon the younger man had tears streaming down his face. Jethro tugged Tim into his lap and wrapped his arms around his lovers trembling body. "Shh its okay, Timmy. I can't think of anyone who deserves this trip more than you." Jethro soothingly rubbed his hand up and down Tim's back. The younger man melted into Jethro's arms releasing all the bad memories he'd had of previous birthdays. Once Jethro felt him start to relax and his sniffles turn intermittent he tilted his chin and gently kissed his lips. "Better brush up on your Greek, Timmy. Especially the more important words such as beer, food and bathroom."

That got a laugh out of the younger man and he stood up, pulling Jethro with him. "This is a birthday I'll never forget and I have you and Jet to thank for that." His eyes roamed every square inch of Jethro's body and he licked his lips, "Mr. Bond, would you like to take this meeting upstairs?"

"Oh yeah!" Jethro and Tim couldn't blow all of the candles out fast enough. Once they were sure the house wasn't going to burn down they headed upstairs hand in hand. When they reached the landing at the top, Jethro squeezed his lover's hand tighter and exclaimed, "Happy Birthday Tim!"

* * *

**A/N Once again a very Happy Birthday to my dear friend, co-author and beta, Gotta!**

On a side note, for those of you following along with Ages & Stages - I know it's been over a week since the previous update, but life and work have been extremely busy. Please stay with me as I'm currently working on the next chapter. Hugs!


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